Circular adhesive bandage



- Dec. 10, 1957 w. FORMAN CIRCULAR ADHESIVE BANDAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 FIG.|

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M; 1 ll/ FIG.3

Everett W. Formun INVENTOR.

3110a ugv Dec. 10, 1957 E. w. FORMAN CIRCULAR ADHESIVE BANDAQE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 FIG.5

Everett W. Forman INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY @IRCULAR ADHESIVE BANDAGE Everett W. Forman, Prattsville, N. Y.

Application December 22, 1954, Serial No. 476,907

7 Claims. ((31. 128170) This invention relates to a circular adhesive bandage and refers more particularly to a new type of bandage suitable for strapping the chest and similar purposes.

Pleurisy and rib fractures are frequently treated by strapping the chest, that is to say, applying adhesive tape directly to the body in well known manner to provide support according to the patients needs. The adhesive tape against the skin soon produces discomfort. Therefore various belts or harnesses of canvas or similar material, adjustable by means of buckles or the like, are in use for strapping the chest more comfortably than by tape. These devices are quite expensive compared to adhesive tape, and must be carried in several sizes due to the limited adjustment possible by means of the buckles. Some such devices are furnished in even sizes of chest measurement in inches throughout the normal size range. All such devices are bulky compared to adhesive tape and the buckles or other fasteners are uncomfortable in use.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a circular adhesive bandage which shall serve the purpose of chest strapping, but with greater comfort than that of tape strapping or known substitutes therefor.

Another object is that the bandage shall be adjustable over a wide range of sizes so that a minimum number of sizes will fit all usual size persons.

Still another object is that the bandage shall be very cheap in price.

A very important object is that the bandage shall be simple in construction and easy to apply.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, a bandage is provided of any suitable bandage material, which is non adhesive throughout most of its length, and which has one or more adhesive portions by which the two ends of the bandage may be adhered one to the other, these portions, however being out of contact with the torso or other part of the person to which the bandage is applied. In addition, means are provided for tensioning the bandage before the ends thereof are adhered together. Such means include a loop connected to one end of the bandage. The other end is passed around the chest and through this loop, which preferably has a rigid bight portion. The other end then passes the first end, tension is applied by pulling on the other end and on the loop connected to the first end, and the two ends finally adhered one to the other. The loop is then cut off.

In a modified form of the invention, the loop is a rigid substantially rectangular keeper permanently connected to one end of the bandage. The other end is passed through this keeper from the inside and looped back on itself, tension being applied by pulling on this other end which is now the only free end, and this is finally adhered to itself.

In all forms of the invention the bandage as furnished to the physician is advantageously but not necessarily rolled on a wooden dowel or the like, with the loop at the outside of the roll.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter described. In the accompanying drawing in which are shown four of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my bandage in its simplest form, and partially unrolled.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same when partially applied to the chest.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the applied bandage, and before the severing of those portions which are necessary for application but are not worn.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the improved bandage.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the same partially applied.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the same applied, partially broken away.

Figure 7 is a perspective fragmentary view of the preferred form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the same applied, but without illustrating the patient, and partially broken away.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another modified form of the bandage as applied, also shown alone.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary top elevation thereof.

Referring now in detail to Figures 1, 2 and 3, my improved bandage 20 comprises the elongate, flexible member 21 of bandage material, which may be of textile material such as used for adhesive tape, but which is devoid of adhesive material except as noted.

A first end portion 22 of member 21, destined to be the inner end portion of the applied bandage, has its outer surface 22A coated with adhesive material 23. Such material 23 will be covered with treated paper or other glossy substance in sheet form, which may be stripped therefrom in known manner and is not illustrated. As supplied, the bandage forms a cylindrical roll 24 wound on the wooden dowel 25, and is shown partially unrolled in Figure 1. Dowel 25 is connected to its respective end portion 26 of the strip member 21 by being inserted in the transverse hem 27 formed by looping the member 21 back on itself and stitching, as at 28, or in any preferred manner. End portion 26 will hereafter be referred to as the outer end portion of the bandage.

Loop means 29 comprises the rigid bight portion 30 which may be a wooden dowel or the like, and the flexible arm portions 31 which are cords or thread connected to dowel 30 by tacks 32 and also connected to the end corners 34 of inner end portion 22 by the knotted loops 33. Dowel 30 is longer than the dowel 25 and longer than the width of member 21. The opening 35 enclosed by the loop 29 therefore affords easy passage for the roll 24 as explained hereafter.

To apply the bandage, the physician has the patient hold the dowel 30 in the position of Figure 2, and thus the physician has the use of both hands in unrolling the bandage while passing it around the back of the patient. The physician then passes the diminished roll 24, including end portion 26 and dowel 25, through the opening 35 of loop 29, as illustrated in Figure 3. The physician then takes one of the dowels 25, 30 in each hand, the patient exhales, and the bandage can be tensioned or drawn tight, the inner surface 26A of end portion 26 then being adhered to the outer surface 22A of inner end portion 22, on which is located the adhesive material 23. Such adhesion is obtained by pressure in known fashion and a tight, adhesively held, tubular form of bandage is thus created. The entire inner surface of this tubular form 21A is devoid of adhesive material, thus promoting comfort. Shoulder straps may be used with the applied bandage 21A as desired and are not illustrated as they form no part of the invention. The loops 33 are then cut and loop 29 removed. Outer end portion 26 is then cut away leaving its inner portion 26B adhering to the material 23.

Dowel 30 is thus agrip means affording a manual purchase which is outside the outer end portion 26 of'the member 21 and connected to the inner end portion 22 thereof, and transmitting tension or traction to said inner end-portion uniformly across the width thereof through the arms 31 diverging from the corners 34 to dowel 30. Dowel 25 is a handle means affording convenient manual purchase of end portion 26 and distributing traction uniformly throughout the width thereof.

In. Figures 4, and 6 is illustrated a modified form of the invention. The bandage 40 is shown unrolled, however it. will. of course be convenient to package it in roll form. The elongate flexible member 41 of bandage material has the inner end portion 42 with adhesive material 43 on its outer surface 44. The dowel 45 is connected to outer end portion 46 by being inserted in the transverse hem 47 created by stitches 48.

Loop means 49 comprises the detachable bight portion 50 which is an approximately U-shaped handle having the grip portion 51 constituted by its outer arm, its inner arm 52 being formed with the hooks 53, 54 at either end. Arm 51 may have a further grip member 51A surrounding it for convenience in handling. Flexible cords 55 have loops 56 at their outer ends and loops 57 at their inner ends, the latter being engaged in the end corners 58 of end portion 42.

An opening or space 59 is located between the arms 51, 52 of bight or handle portion 50, and an open passage 60 to said space is located between hook 54 and arm 51.

Bandage 40 is applied similarly to bandage 20, except that outer end portion 46 need not pass between the cords 55, but overlies arm 52 and cords 55, having entered the space 59 through the gide passage 60. The physician has the handles 51A, 45 f0? applying traction substantially in a straight line to opposite ends of the member 41, and so constitutes the bandage 41A of tubular form, adhesively fastened by contact of the end portion 46 with the adhesive material 43 on the outer surface 44 of inner end portion 42. The inner surface ofv the tubular bandage, in contact with the body of the patient, is devoid of adhesive material. Outer end portion 46, beyond the portion- 46B thereof adhered to material 43, is cut away. Loops 57 are then cut, and the arm 52 is slipped out from under the bandage 41A by a lateral sliding motion.

Av further advantage of this form of the invention is that the rolled bandage 40 as furnished to the physician has no bight portion 50 of loop 49, and therefore makes a more compact package. The bight or handle 50 is an instrument in the physicians office, and is used whenever this type of bandage is applied.

In Figures 7 and 8 is illustrated a bandage 70 similar in all respects to bandage 40 with the exception of the handle or bight portion 71. Said handle 71 together with flexible cords 72 c0nstituting arm portions, forms the loop 73 engaging the inner end portion 74 of the elongate flexible member 75 of bandage material. Bight portion 71- is approximately U-shaped, having the outer arm 76 constituting a hand grip member and the inner arm 77 terminating in the bifurcated hook or claw 78' engaged by theloop 79 of the cord 72. A second bifurcated hook or claw 80 extendsin. prolongation of inner. arm 77 and at the opposite end thereof from claw 78. It is best seen in Figure 7 that the handle 71. is in fact a single bar of metal, bent to provide two parallel courses in the hand grip portion 76 and also in the return portion 81 supporting the claw 80 and inner arm 77. The claws '7 8, 80 are spaced apart a distance greater than the width. of the member 75 and the cords or arms 72 of .loop 73 thus diverge from the member 75 to the handle 71, providing evenly distributed tractive force when the bandage is applied. Apassage 82 between claw 78 and outer arm 76 leads to the open space 83 between the arms 76; 77

of handle 71. Claws 78, comprise the blunt tines 84 extending in prolongation of arm 77 and the blunt tines 85 extending at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to tines 84 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the arms 76, 77.

The method of application of the bandage, as clearly shown in Figure 8 is identical to that previously described in connection with Figures 4, 5 and 6. In withdrawing handle 71.from' the tubular bandage 75A, it will be advantageous to hold the arm 76 away from the patient, in which position of the handle the claw 78 lies flatly between. bandage and patient and may be most easily withdrawn by a lateral sliding motion.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, the bandage comprises the elongate, flexible strip member 91 of bandage material, the outer end portion 92 of which has at its extremity a hem 93 formed by stitches 94 and in which is inserted a wooden dowel 95 or similar core on which the bandage will be wound as supplied to the physician.

The inner end portion 96 of member 91 has an extreme tip portion 97 which isfolded under, forming a loop 93. A wider'pieceof cloth or the like 99 rests under tip portion 97 and stitches 100 pass through the three thicknesses of material. Loosely held in loop 98 and overlying piece 99is the closed substantially rectangular keeper 101 having the free-bight portion 102'. Keeper 101 is wider in inside. dimension than the width of member 91, and wider than the-length of the core or dowel 95, so that the core with outer end portion 92 wound thereon may pass through the central opening 103 of keeper 101. Portion 92 having-passed through keeper 101 is drawn back on itself, or, more exactly, on the adjacent contiguous portion 92A of member 91, as seen in Figure 9. The outside surface of portion 92A has the adhesive material 104 thereon, and portion 92 is adhered thereto after the development of the desired tension or traction by pulling of the portion 92, facilitated by the core handle 95 which keeps tension evenly distributed over the width of the portion 92. It will be noted that portion 92 is under tension from a pull to the right in Figure 9, at the same time that portion 92A is being pulled left of Figure 9 by portion 92 acting over the bight portion 102. Portions 92, 92A are thus oppositely tensioned. The outer extremity of portion 92 beyond the portion 92B thereof which is adhered to the material 104, is then cut off.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and'which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and notiil a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A circular adhesive bandadge comprising the combination with an elongate, flexible member of bandage material, said member having an inner side devoid of adhesive material, of loopmeans connected to an end portion of said'm'ember, said loop means having a substantially rigid bight portion, and adhesive means located on the outer side of said member, the other end portion of said flexible member being passed through said loop means and adhered to said adhesive means.

2. A circular adhesive bandage according to claim 1, said bi'ght portion exceeding in length the width of said member and said loop means diverging from said member to said bight portion.

3. A circular adhesive bandage according to claim 1, said loop means comprising flexible arm portions, said arm portions having loops at their outer ends and said bight portion having hooks engaging said loops of said armportions.

4. A circular adhesive bandadge according to claim 1,

arm portions having loops at their outer ends and said bight portion having bifurcated claws engaging said loops of said arm portions.

5. A circular adhesive bandage comprising the combination with an elongate, flexible member of bandage material, said member having an inner side devoid of adhesive material, of loop means connected to an end portion of said member, said loop means having a substantially rigid bight portion, and adhesive means located on the outer side of said member, the other end portion of said flexible member being passed through said loop means and adhered to said adhesive means, said other end portion further being formed with a transverse hem and a dowel constituting a handle means being located in said hem.

6. A circular adhesive bandage comprising the combination with an elongate, flexible member of bandage material, said member having an inner side devoid of adhesive material, of loop means connected to an end portion of said member, said loop means having a substantially rigid bight portion, and adhesive means located on the outer side of said member, the other end portion of said flexible member being passed through said loop means and adhered to said adhesive means, said loop means further comprising flexible means loopingly en gaging said bight portion and said bight portion being detachable from said flexible means by lateral sliding motion.

7. A circular adhesive bandage comprising the combination with an elongate, flexible member of bandage material, said member having an inner side devoid of adhesive material, of loop means connected to an end portion of said member, said loop means having a substantially rigid bight portion, and adhesive means located on the outer side of said member, the other end portion of said flexible member being passed through said loop means and adhered to said adhesive means, said loop means being a substantially flat, closed, rectangular keeper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,624 Woodward Nov. 25, 1913 1,298,992 Merklee et a1. Apr. 1, 1919 2,646,034 Chapados July 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 475,071 Great Britain Nov. 12, 1937 

